Guyana Amazon Warriors defended just 85 runs to beat San Francisco Unicorns by six runs and win their second straight Global Super League title on Sunday.
The final became one of the lowest scoring T20 finals in history. Both teams combined for only 164 runs. It was also the lowest total ever defended in the final of a T20 tournament.
Amazon Warriors struggled after choosing to bat first. Their top five batters were back in the pavilion by the seventh over with only 25 runs on the board. Rahmanullah Gurbaz was the highest scorer among them with just eight runs.
Peter Siddle ripped through the top order with three wickets. Leg spinner Anirudh Immanuel also shone with 3 for 7 in four overs.
Amazon Warriors looked set for a very low total before Dwaine Pretorius and Matthew Forde added 41 runs for the ninth wicket. Forde top scored with 28 from 23 balls and helped his side reach 85.
San Francisco Unicorns started their chase well. But Pretorius and Gudakesh Motie reduced them to 28 for 3 inside the first three overs.
Oliver Peake kept the chase alive with 31 from 28 balls. He shared useful stands with Hassan Khan and Sanjay Krishnamurthi.
Mohammad Nabi turned the match in Amazon Warriors’ favour. He dismissed Krishnamurthi and Peake in quick succession. Imran Tahir also struck twice to leave the Unicorns in trouble.
The match went down to the final wicket. San Francisco needed seven runs from the last ten balls. But Callum Stow was run out while trying to steal a single, ending the chase on 79.
Pretorius starred with both bat and ball. He scored important runs in the lower order and then claimed 3 for 24 to earn the Player of the Match award as Amazon Warriors lifted their second GSL title in three seasons.
